Improvement in fluid-meters



5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Iatente. Jan. 11, 1876.

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 J. JOHNSON.

FLUID-IE'IER. No.172,124;. Patente. J'an.11,1876.

1\TITED STATES PATENT rrrca JONATHAN JOHNSON, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

lMPROVEMENT IN FLUID-METERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 172,] 241, datedJanuary 11, 1876 applicaticn filed October 30, 1875.

T0 all whom z't may concern Be it known that I, JONA'1HAN JOHNSON, ofthe city of Lowell, county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fluid Meters, of whichthe following is such a full, clear, and exact description as willenable others skilled in the art t0 which it pertains to construct anduse the same, reference bcing' had to the accompanyng drawings forming apart of this specification, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, similar letters indicating corresponding parts in the differentfigures.

This fluid-measuring instrument bclongs to that subdivision of the classof meters called rotary meters, in which the regsteringapparatus is putin motion by the action of the Huid upon a revolving wheel In these, ashereto fore constructed, grea-t difficulty has been experenced from thefact that, owing to the friction to be overcome in moving the parts asthe moving wheel is wholly irnmersed in the liquid, small quantiticspassing the wheel would not impart to it sufficient impetus to start theregistering machinery, thus enabling dishonest parties to draw a largeamount of to which it imparts motion by its weight. In the accompanyingdrawiugs, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the meter in its finishedstate. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section t-hrough the case, and Fig.3shows the registering" dials. Fig. 4 is a plan of the gearing, bywhichmotion is transmitted from the incasnring-wheel to the indexes ofthe registeringdial. Fig. 5 shows detail views of the parts throughwhich the train of gearng is connected wth the measuring-wheel. Fig. 6is plan of that part of the case containing the measuring-wheel, andillustrates one method of introducing the fluid to it. Figs. 7 and 8show a modification of the form of case, and illustrate a diiterentmethod of applying the fluid to the wheel. Figs. 9 and l0and 11 show afurther modification of the devices to be used for introduc ing thefiuid to be measured to the measuring-wheel.

lhe case containing the operative mechanism is formed in two parts,represented in the dr awings by the letters A and B, one of which,

the part A, may be provided with the lugs 01 prcjections A for thepurpose of securing the apparati1s in a vertical postion to any suitablesupport. The part B of the case is secured to the part A by an air-tightjoint made by placin g any suitable packin'g material between the flanges B and B of the case, and then draw ng them closely. together bymeans of screws or bolts. Attached to the outer part of the case B, bythe samemeans that are employed for uniting the two parts A and B, is acylindrca.l case, O, provded with a glass cover, G, the whole coveringan aperture in the case through which the registering-dials may be seen.This glass is ofsufficient thickness t0 wthstand a great pressure, andis secured wthin the case 0 by providing the latter with aninternally-projecting flange, upon which is placed a gasket of rubber orother suitable packing. The glass is then inserted, after which anotherpacling-ringis placed within the case and upon the glass, the wholebeing secured by an annular nut, 0, which is provided with asc'rew-thread entering a corresponding thread upon the inner side of thecase. It will be observed that this method of packing and secnring theglass keeps it at all times between yielding surfaces, thus reducing thechances of breakage to agreat extent. -A small projection, a, within thecase forms one of the journal-boxes, within which revolves the shaft ofthe measuring-wheel lD. This wheelis formed with a series ofcompartments around its PGIPJIY, into which the water alls as it entersthe case through the inlet-- p'ipe 1. This pipemay terminate indifferent appliancesfor delivering the fiuid upon the wheel, such as thecurved pipe I, shown in Fig. 6, or the distrbnting device shown in Fig.9may be nsed, this latter modification possessing the advantnge of beingcapable of distrbuting mrying quantties of liqnid npon difierent sectonsof the wheel, and againin using the modified form of case shown in Fgs.7 and 8 the flnid may be delivered upon the wheel from an orifice ofproper shape formed at the jnncton of an inner partition and the outercase, the outlet for the lnid npon the wheel being indicated in thedifferent figures by the letter b, and the ante-chamber by the letter S.As the flnid to be 'measnred varies in viscidity, and the pressnre underwl1ich it is to be measnred also varies, so will the different devicesfor condncting it to the wheel require change in order to prodnce thebest working effect.

As the measnring-wheel rotates, the 0011 tents of its chamloers fall tothe bottom of the case, and are carried away through the pipe W, tl1usallowing the upper portion of the case to be The outer end of the shaftH of the measuring-wheel is journaled inthe bridge-tree E, which crossesthe case, and is secnred to projecting lugs by means of screws or othersnitable devices. Upon the extreme onter end of the shaft H is secnred aworm-wheel, d, whioh, by the rotation of the measuring-wheel, impartsmotion to the spnr-gear e npon the shat't K, the journals of whichrevolve in bearings upon the shafrs F and G. Another wormwheel, f, issecured to the shaft K, and gives motion to the spur-wheel g upon theshaft L, and this shaft revolves in bearings attached to thesupporting-piece Gr, its onter end, at h, bein g slotted to receive thedriving-pin of the shaft M, which forms the motorshaft of the train ofgearing employed to operate the indexes, the shaft passing throu gl1 thedial-plate N, and carrying the index i, wbich indicates units upon theregistering-dial, over whch it revolves; butt will be nnderstood thateach ofthese units is produced by nnmerus revolntions of themeasuring-wheel, (usually one hnndred,) and whieh is regnlated by thenn'n -ber of teeth in the wheels 6 and 9, whicl1 receive motion from theworm-wheels d and f. The1ei'ore this dial is called the dia] ofhundreds.

Upon the sl1aft M is secure d a pinion gearing into the wheel 1, theshaft of which carries a pinion which acts upon the teeth of the wheel msecured to the shaft O, whicl1 carries the index n on the dial ofthousands. An idle-pinion, p, communicates motion from the wheelm to thewheel q, apinion upon the shaft of which carres the wheel S, and this,in turn, the shaft t, npon which is the index 2:, revolving over thedial of thousands, each figure npon which indicates tl1at numb'er ofthousands of revolutions of the measnring-wheel.

It will be observed that the gearing above described is placed betweentwo circular plates, one of which (the plate N) carrics the enttemperatures to wl1ich theapparatus may be snbjected. The load upon themeasuring wheel is regulated by means of two or more inclined blades,'l, which are secured in a hub, U, placed npon the shaft H in snchmanncr that tl1eir angles to the plane of rotation may be increased ordiminished, as may be desired, thus increasing or diminishing tl1e loadupon the measuring-wheel. Other devices may be eniployed to produce thisresnlt, such as a friction-brake applied to some part of its exterior,or a rolling weight within the wheel;

bnt 1 prefer the device above described, it

being regular in its action, easily changed. to snit variations in theload to be carried by the wheel, and not lable to derangement fron1 anysonrce, as well as being noiseless in its action.

The operation of the device is follows: After being placed in postion,and the particular inlet device adjusted to the wheel, which is believedto be best adapted to the purpose of delivering npon it the fl-nid to bemeasnred,

and the connectious With the supplying sonrce made, theregulating-blades are adjnsted in snch a position as will enable thewheel to carry the desired load. That is, snpposing the fiuid to bemeasnred is water, the blades may be so adjusted that the waterdischarged npon the wheel needed to give the number of revolntionsrequred to move the index of the first dia] in the series throngh thespace of one division shall be exactly ten gallons; there- 'ore, if theoperation be continued, theappatns will continue to register until tenthonsand gallons have passed through it, or the opera tion may cease.and be again resumed as often as may be required, the operation of theinstrument ceasing instantaneonsly with the supply of water, and thisfunction may be controlled npon eithei the outlet or inlet pipes of themeter with the same result. The case being filled Witl1 air, the closingof the ontlet would cause its condensation within the upper part of thecase until its elastic force would enable it to prevent the entrance ofmore water by the inlet-pipe; but as the wheeland registering apparatnsare always in the same medium-that is, air-a changc in pressnre wouldproduce no efiect npon them; and fnrther, as all the mo"ing parts arecontinually snrrounded by air, and air alone, their friction is rendereda constant quantity, not cbanging or being in the slightest degreeaifected by sediment or any otlier matter which may be held insuspension by the Huid; In usng the modificatiou shown in Figs. 7 and 8,at the point where the flud. falls upon the measuring-wheel, through anopening at 12, and in the modificaton shown in Figs. 9, 10, and 11, theflud is discharged upon the wheel through ports of varying elevation, sothat ncreasng 0r decreasing quant-ities will be distributed upondifferent sectons of the wheel D. The ante-ehamber S exhausts thepressure-force of the fluid and admits it into the air-chamber,prineipally by its gravity. The fluid filling this ante-chamber forcesthe air from it into the ehamber A.

H avn g thus described m y inventou, I claim as new, and desire t0secure by Letters Patent, the followng:

1. The measurng-wheel D and adjustable regulating-blades, incombinationwith the registering devices, substantially as a-nd for thepurpose specified.

2. The adj ustable regulatng-blades T, incombination with themeasurng-wheel D, su1bstan tially as and for the puxpose set: forth.

3. The measuring-wheel D audits adjmstable regulating-blades T, incombination with the cuwed pipe I, or its equivalent devices, forintroducing the fluid into the chambers of the wheel, as herein sl1ownand described.

In testinuony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto a-ffixed mysigu ature in-the presence of two witnesses, at LOWell, Massachusetts,thi s 11IJh day of October, 1875.

JONATHAN JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL A. MOPHE'IRES, FRANK W. SEARLE.

